The week moved quickly, but some stories deserve more than one day in the spotlight. Saturday Catch-Up brings together six KnoxTNToday stories you may have missed or may want to read again. Pour another cup of coffee and choose the stories that interest you.
Amanda Phipps protects and connects at Cedar Bluff Middle
Knox County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Amanda Phipps cares for four children at home and about 550 more as the school resource officer at Cedar Bluff Middle School. Tom King introduces an SRO who sees safety as only part of her job. Phipps walks the halls, joins students at lunch and recess, listens during difficult moments and works to replace fear of police officers with trust, respect and connection.
Read Busy! Busy! Welcome to her world
Beth Kinnane remembers life with the band
Beth Kinnane has performed for a president and inside Neyland Stadium, though neither involved a solo appearance. Her look back at life in the Knoxville Central High School Bobcat Band travels from the opening ceremonies of the 1982 World’s Fair to a high school marching competition at Neyland. Along the way are cymbals, triple toms, sunburn, Secret Service inspections and memories that remain among the best of her youth.
BBQ Meatloaf gives comfort food a flavorful makeover
Aneisa Rolen starts with a family favorite and turns up the flavor. Her BBQ Meatloaf mixes barbecue sauce into the meat, then adds cheddar cheese, smoky bacon and crispy fried onions on top. The result is a savory twist on a familiar dinner—and a practical choice for busy households because the leftovers reheat well and the meatloaf can be frozen for another meal.
Read Dishing It Out: BBQ Meatloaf
A quiet smile beneath Zion’s towering patriarchs
At Zion National Park, Thomas Mabry watched Kitty smile beneath three towering rock formations named Abraham, Isaac and Jacob more than a century ago. Earlier, the Emerald Pools Trail had offered cottonwoods, red rock, reflections and a moment of quiet. Mabry’s photographs and spare words capture the kind of place that needs little explanation. Sometimes, he writes, all anyone needs to do is stand there and look up.
Read A smile at the court of the patriarchs
Three small Tennessee towns deserve another look
Some of East Tennessee’s best discoveries are the places travelers pass on their way somewhere else. Close to Home, Far from Ordinary slows down in Niota, home to Tennessee’s oldest surviving railroad depot; Historic Rugby, the Victorian community founded by British author Thomas Hughes; and Dandridge, where a historic downtown and lakeside setting reward anyone willing to leave the interstate and explore.
Read Blink-and-you’ll-miss-it towns that deserve a second look
After more than a year, Max is still waiting for his person
Max is a sensitive, quirky 2-year-old terrier mix who has spent more than a year waiting for the right home through the Humane Society of the Tennessee Valley. He may need time before deciding someone is safe, but once he trusts a person, he brings loyalty, affection, intelligence and plenty of personality. His foster family says patience and consistency reveal the loving dog behind his initial shyness.
Read Max has been waiting for his person for more than a year
Come back Sunday for Faith Along the Way, a quieter, faith-centered read for the weekend.
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